Alexa M Raudales1, Reina Kiefer1, Shannon R Forkus1, Ateka A Contractor2, Nicole H Weiss3. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA. 2. Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA. 3. Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA. Electronic address: nicole_weiss@uri.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are prevalent and deleterious among individuals who have experienced a sexual assault. Although an emerging field of research has established a link between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms, there is a limited understanding of mechanisms underlying this relation. Individuals who have experienced a sexual assault may begin to fear any arousal-related sensations via stimulus generalization, including that associated with positive emotions, which, in turn, may amplify PTSD symptoms. Thus, the current study examined the role of anxiety sensitivity in the association between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms. METHODS: A sample of 500 community members reporting a history of sexual assault (Mage=34.54, 54.4% male, 79.0% white) completed measures of positive emotion dysregulation, anxiety sensitivity, and PTSD symptoms. RESULTS: Findings detected a significant indirect effect of anxiety sensitivity in the relation between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms (β = 0.28, SE=0.03, 95% CI [0.22, 0.34]). Supplementary analyses revealed that effects held for subscales of anxiety sensitivity (i.e., cognitive, physical, social concerns) and PTSD symptom clusters (i.e., intrusions, avoidance, negative alternations in cognitions and mood, alternations in arousal and reactivity). CONCLUSIONS: This study offers preliminary empirical support for the assertion that fear of arousal-related sensations associated with positive emotions may partially explain the link between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms among those who have experienced a sexual assault. Information from this study could advance future research and treatment.
OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are prevalent and deleterious among individuals who have experienced a sexual assault. Although an emerging field of research has established a link between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms, there is a limited understanding of mechanisms underlying this relation. Individuals who have experienced a sexual assault may begin to fear any arousal-related sensations via stimulus generalization, including that associated with positive emotions, which, in turn, may amplify PTSD symptoms. Thus, the current study examined the role of anxiety sensitivity in the association between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms. METHODS: A sample of 500 community members reporting a history of sexual assault (Mage=34.54, 54.4% male, 79.0% white) completed measures of positive emotion dysregulation, anxiety sensitivity, and PTSD symptoms. RESULTS: Findings detected a significant indirect effect of anxiety sensitivity in the relation between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms (β = 0.28, SE=0.03, 95% CI [0.22, 0.34]). Supplementary analyses revealed that effects held for subscales of anxiety sensitivity (i.e., cognitive, physical, social concerns) and PTSD symptom clusters (i.e., intrusions, avoidance, negative alternations in cognitions and mood, alternations in arousal and reactivity). CONCLUSIONS: This study offers preliminary empirical support for the assertion that fear of arousal-related sensations associated with positive emotions may partially explain the link between positive emotion dysregulation and PTSD symptoms among those who have experienced a sexual assault. Information from this study could advance future research and treatment.
Authors: Andres G Viana; Abigail E Hanna; Emma C Woodward; Elizabeth M Raines; Daniel J Paulus; Erin C Berenz; Michael J Zvolensky Journal: Child Psychiatry Hum Dev Date: 2018-02
Authors: Ronald C Kessler; Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola; Jordi Alonso; Corina Benjet; Evelyn J Bromet; Graça Cardoso; Louisa Degenhardt; Giovanni de Girolamo; Rumyana V Dinolova; Finola Ferry; Silvia Florescu; Oye Gureje; Josep Maria Haro; Yueqin Huang; Elie G Karam; Norito Kawakami; Sing Lee; Jean-Pierre Lepine; Daphna Levinson; Fernando Navarro-Mateu; Beth-Ellen Pennell; Marina Piazza; José Posada-Villa; Kate M Scott; Dan J Stein; Margreet Ten Have; Yolanda Torres; Maria Carmen Viana; Maria V Petukhova; Nancy A Sampson; Alan M Zaslavsky; Karestan C Koenen Journal: Eur J Psychotraumatol Date: 2017-10-27